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1 nomination from readers

• Over the past five years the independent label and artist management company Freeport Records has developed the Urban Collective youth music project from an idea into an acclaimed national regeneration project.

  Urban Collective is a free youth music project, designed for anyone aged 15-25 living in areas of urban regeneration need, where a Collective of 30 artists and producers are chosen from open auditions and empowered to write, record and promote their own album for an independent release under expert professional guidance.

  Recent Urban Collective success stories include Johnny Fox (signed to Island Records with his band The King Blues), Lykez (support gigs for Method Man and Redman UK tour), Jody McKenna (scoring music for Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire) and London Urban Collective's feature-length Hipopera Inferno (selected for the jury prize at Chicago International Hip Hop Film Festival).

  The project continues to look for partners on all levels to ensure that more young people, living in areas of urban regeneration need, can experience high-quality professional creative skills training and increase their self-confidence and self-esteem.

  For more details on Urban Collective please visit:

  www.britishurbancollective.com

  www.londonurbancollective.com

  www.freeportrecords.com

  18 August 2009

30 comments from readers

• .urban collective should be a worldwide youth project, given funding on a global level to reach all underprivelaiged youth. this amazing project is by far the most needed in the country right now. Without a channel for youth to express themselves and given an opprotunity to do so is essential. My vote is for the urban collective to be recognised and given this award.

  Submitted by donna williams, 19 August 2009

• .urban collective should be a worldwide youth project, given funding on a global level to reach all underprivelaiged youth. this amazing project is by far the most needed in the country right now. Without a channel for youth to express themselves and given an opprotunity to do so is essential. My vote is for the urban collective to be recognised and given this award.

  Submitted by donna williams, 19 August 2009

• The urban collective was a great projekt which i can say i had the pleasure taking part in i believe it has created a great vibe for Hull city and discovered some great musicians/bands which i probably never would have met if it wasn't for the collective!! Sadly our track didn't make the album but the whole process was an amazing experience and they certainly deserve this award!!!

  Submitted by Redeye/projektfeenix, 19 August 2009

• The urban collective was a great projekt which i can say i had the pleasure taking part in i believe it has created a great vibe for Hull city and discovered some great musicians/bands which i probably never would have met if it wasn't for the collective!! Sadly our track didn't make the album but the whole process was an amazing experience and they certainly deserve this award!!!

  Submitted by Redeye/projektfeenix, 19 August 2009

• I passed audition for the Belfast contingent of the British Urban Collective in 2008. Although I'd had previous experience within the creative industries, we were offered an opportunity. An opportunity which, because we were afforded it, myself and a few other members have used to help set up a more locally based Charity to provide cross community youth outreach and training in the city, working with vulnerable children and young adults.

  WIthout the catalyst of the Urban Collective project, this work with our youth would not have a place to call home, or the equipment we now have to record and produce the exceptional wealth of talent we have, not only in our own company, but throughout the city we call home.

  Submitted by Gerard Gallagher, 20 August 2009

• I was selected alongside 2 Freinds , as a producer trio called Nhialism for the Glasgow contingency of the British Urban Collective , i had a very entertaining , educational , and fruitful time on the project , which was the first time it had hit scottish shores and with the funding available to the project in future it could help lots more underprivileged and enthusiastic individuals to fulfill their dream of becoming a part of the creative industries , either as an artist , producer , or whichever other field they choose. I had an amazing experience on Glasgow Urban Collective and as a result i now am a hiphop emcee due to the training i recieved from the lyric workshops with Yap , and also as part of collaborating with other lyrically minded people. I would also like to point out that i learned a lot about the music industry from industry professionals in a number of different fields , i,.e - prs for music , aim , slicethepie , digital music marketing , etc. and all the information and advice was really helpful and has stood me in good stead for my plans for the future.

  British Urban Collective is a really innovative project which deserves all the funding and support it needs to become the premier scheme for youths to get into the music industry and off the streets.

  G.Lynch

  Submitted by Gareth Lynch, 20 August 2009

• The Urban Collective and the guys behind it all deserve to win this award not only because of the amount of time and personal effort that has gone into each and every City that they have visited but also because of the intrinsic values behind the project. Music is one of the few things in life that is capable of crossing all boundaries and The Urban Collective allows young people with musical talent that is being suppressed by the area they live in, each with different influences of musical genres as long as a roll of andrex, to gain an insight to the music industry and present and perform their own music to the wider world; Most of whom previously would not have had the opportunity or knowledge of how to do so. They also get the chance to collaborate with the other artists in the collective allowing them to understand each other on a cultural level through their own understanding of music. The Urban Collective however doesn't just stop once the course is over, all the artists are given continued access to a recording studio to allow them continue moving forward within the music world and are also left an amount of money as a collective, to run and promote future gigs and in turn possibly raise a little bit more cash in the process. The opportunities that The Urban Collective gives young people with a real talent in music in deprived areas are priceless. An award and recognition that these guys are long overdue.

  Submitted by James Winn, 20 August 2009

• I auditioned for Urban Collective kind of by chance, I just saw the poster, had no idea what it was but thought we might aswell try for it, one of ther best decisions I've ever made. the week course and the week that followed were two of the best in my life. The project helped my band and myself so much, I cant thank them enough. This is the kind of thing England needs more of.

  Submitted by Robbie Venus-Evans from Ruperts, 20 August 2009

• Urban Collective was a great experience and helped me develop as an artist and opened my mind towards music again. They have left us with a studio that all members can use for free which means a lot to some of us with no access to recording studios and funds to book recording studios. The workshops with Yap were priceless and I hope more people get to experience this project. Thanks guys

  Submitted by Shah, 20 August 2009

• Urban Collective was a great experience and helped me develop as an artist and opened my mind towards music again. They have left us with a studio that all members can use for free which means a lot to some of us with no access to recording studios and funds to book recording studios. The workshops with Yap were priceless and I hope more people get to experience this project. Thanks guys

  Submitted by Shah, 20 August 2009

• big experience, learned alot. keep it up

  Submitted by zane, 20 August 2009

• I think this is a very worthy project. It has helped so many young people.

  Submitted by Alex from London, 21 August 2009

• I would like to vote for these dudes but where's the button? Anyway, this is my vote; the Urban Collective rocks.

  Submitted by Jamie Moore, 21 August 2009

• My vote wholeheartedly goes with the Urban Collective. Nice.

  Submitted by Chris Child, 21 August 2009

• a great oppurtunity for musicians at all levels, really worth getting involved

  Submitted by Redline from Manchester Urban Collective, 22 August 2009

• a great oppurtunity for musicians at all levels, really worth getting involved

  Submitted by Redline from Manchester Urban Collective, 22 August 2009

• This is a project that recognises talent and works hard to get individuals to reach the levels of performance that they're capable of ...professional high quality performers, each individual with a greater understanding of themselves, their abilities and the practical know how to make a living from what they do best. Long may it continue.

  Submitted by Margaret McClelland, 24 August 2009

• An amazing project, it helps so many young people express themselves through music.

  Submitted by Alex from London, 03 September 2009

• I was Lucky enough to see this project work from the sidelines in Glasgow and was seriously impressed with the results. A great team of people leading kids in the right direction.

  Submitted by Jamie from Glasgow, 03 September 2009

• the collective as well as linking me up to a whole new world of artist and producer that i can work wqith for collabo and stuff it gave me a platform for my acting as i played a lead role in inferno, therefore i was offered a role in a play in north london called devil in disguise and my carear really took off big to everyone involve what a amazing project !!

  Submitted by mr covo, 03 September 2009

• the collective as well as linking me up to a whole new world of artist and producer that i can work wqith for collabo and stuff it gave me a platform for my acting as i played a lead role in inferno, therefore i was offered a role in a play in north london called devil in disguise and my carear really took off big to everyone involve what a amazing project !!

  Submitted by mr covo, 03 September 2009

• the collective as well as linking me up to a whole new world of artist and producer that i can work wqith for collabo and stuff it gave me a platform for my acting as i played a lead role in inferno, therefore i was offered a role in a play in north london called devil in disguise and my carear really took off big to everyone involve what a amazing project !!

  Submitted by mr covo, 03 September 2009

• the collective as well as linking me up to a whole new world of artist and producer that i can work wqith for collabo and stuff it gave me a platform for my acting as i played a lead role in inferno, therefore i was offered a role in a play in north london called devil in disguise and my carear really took off big to everyone involve what a amazing project !!

  Submitted by mr covo, 03 September 2009

• The Londone urban collective enabled me to realise my potential and gave me the confidence I needed to sing with real emotion for the first time.

  Submitted by Joy Ogbodo, 03 September 2009

• The Londone urban collective enabled me to realise my potential and gave me the confidence I needed to sing with real emotion for the first time.

  Submitted by Joy Ogbodo, 03 September 2009

• What a great project British urban Collective is. A genuine mix of social engagement and commercial savvy that produces some great music and a lot of confident young people. Good job-I like your work!

  Submitted by Mark alexander, 03 September 2009

• What a great project British urban Collective is. A genuine mix of social engagement and commercial savvy that produces some great music and a lot of confident young people. Good job-I like your work!

  Submitted by Mark alexander, 03 September 2009

• What a great project British urban Collective is. A genuine mix of social engagement and commercial savvy that produces some great music and a lot of confident young people. Good job-I like your work!

  Submitted by Mark alexander, 03 September 2009

• I was involved in the 1st 3-4 London Urban Collective project, so I, more than anyone else can state how much it has helped me and developed as a positive movement for the community to engage in. It has given me loads of contacts and my involvement has even got me jobs and thousands of pounds in sponsorships for all sorts of things.

  What an amazing movement and idea.

  Jide Johnson-B AKA JEEDAY JAWZ

  Submitted by Jide Johnson-B, 06 September 2009

• Particularly in cities like Belfast, opportunities to work with progressive, innovative musical / promotional organisations like the British Urban Collective, Freeport Records etc are in very short supply. The BUC gave my own band (selected in 2008's collective) the impetus to move forward in the right direction, and has led us to a single release, and support work with The Divine Comedy, and possible work with Taio Cruz and Pixie Lott.

  As the only ambassador of young, unsigned artists to actively travel the UK in search of genuine talent, the British Urban collective should be plauded and rewarded for its efforts, I feel.

  Submitted by K. Elliott, 25 October 2009